


“You’ve changed.”

by Last_Haven



Category: Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Genre: Challenge Response, Gen, Post-Canon, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15591234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Last_Haven/pseuds/Last_Haven
Summary: Sometimes, old dogs can learn new tricks. Sometimes, old men learn how to trust those they want to protect.





	“You’ve changed.”

            “Something happened out there, didn’t it.”

            It’s not really a question, so he takes his time to answer it. The Woodsman had been out in the woods too long, with only himself, an evil spirit, and a pair of scared silly boys to talk with. It hadn’t improved his conversation skills any. Finally, she sighs, so he knows his time to stall is over. “Well,” he finally manages, “it wasn’t like I was out there for my health.”

            “Papa,” his daughter scolds, but then her hand touches his arm and he knows that it’s not a scolding, but a plea. “ _Please_. Talk to me. You don’t have to be afraid—I’m not a little girl. I can handle the truth.”

            He nearly laughs, but it comes out a sigh as he sets his axe aside. “I’m well aware of that fact.” And then he pauses and _really_ looks at her. He had left her here alone for months, abandoned her on a fool’s quest. If only he’d come home in all that time, if only he had just spoke to someone about whether someone was still at the house. If only he hadn’t panicked and charged into The Unknown, desperate to save her when he was the one most in danger. If only he’d trusted her.

            Maybe it would have all been different.

            But then, maybe he wouldn’t have realized that she wasn’t a scared little girl anymore. Maybe he’d still be so sure that she was just a child, in need of protection from the shadows in the corners of her room.

            He looks at her, sees her for the young, capable woman she is, and nods. “It’s not a fun story, no happy romp in the woods.”

            She smiles and he can see some of her mother’s wisdom in her eyes that he hadn’t noticed before. “It’s okay. Better to know than just blunder into trouble again though.”

            “Right,” he murmurs and starts the tale.


End file.
